Scuutari
Summary The Scuutari are gnomic traders who live on and ride giant hermit crabs on the western coasts of Pintara. They trade primarily in pearls, shells, and salvage from shipwrecks. Despite the valuable goods they carry, few Scuutari are ever attacked. Using their mounts, Scuutari are able to submerge and conceal themselves from the pirates and slavers that prowl the region. No one knows where the Scuutari came from, or how they managed to tame their crustacean steeds. Some legends suggest the gnomes used to live in the Southern Spine Mountains, but were driven out by a cataclysm. They resorted to hiding among the reefs and islands to escape from the warring and pillaging on the mainland. The Scuutari are a loose confederation of family clans, spread over hundreds of miles. Families are built around one male head; one who has the most treasure and largest shell house. The families are polygamous; a husband may have from 3 to as many as 12 wives. Apparently three girls are born for every boy. And more than a few Scuutari men die young from accidents. Since the husband is often far afield trading or scrounging for salvage, the first wife is the true head of the family. She is treasurer, chamberlain, and delegator of all the tasks to feed an maintain a 10 foot long hermit crab with a 20 foot long shell house. The hermit crabs upon which the Scuutari live are incredibly docile. It is not uncommon to see several Scuutari children ("shrimps") riding along in the hermit crab's claws. Few have ever been used in combat; although Scuutari have legends about Ironclaw, a massive hermit crab whose shell was draped in shields, and whose claws were clad with iron spikes. Location The Scuutari live on the reefs of the Aelkine Delta in southern Pintara. They trade across the entire southern coast from the Pintari Empire to the Southern Watch. Estimated Numbers The Scuutari are guessed to number in the hundreds to low thousands. Known Towns The Scuutari have no towns. Most live alone or in small family groups among the reefs. However they gather together yearly into a "consort," a floating town built by connecting together all the Scuutari carapaces. Allies Few know of the Scuutari as a people--since most of them trade individually with outsiders. However the Cete and Aelkine have sworn peace with the sea-gnomes. Foes The Scuutari have few foes. Pirates and slavers find them difficult targets. Characters Brindl Saltbeard, Head Scrounge, Chief Trader, Arkon of the Navies Brindl is dimunitive, even for a gnome. But he still cuts an imposing figure. With sun-reddened skin, salt-caked white hair and beard, piercing yellow eyes, and a bellowing voice that seems to carry for miles, Brindl is unmistakeable. He is also wears as little clothing as possible--barely a few shells strung together for the sake of modesty. Brindl is his own ecosystem. Crabs and critters crawl about through his hair; and Brindl doesn't seem to mind one bit. He says he keeps his pets on him to keep his eleven wives off of him. As the head of the Scuutari, Brindl authorizes all trade with "dry-foots" (outsiders). He also leads what the Scuutari call their navy: five rafts and a leaky caravel. But Brindl is no fool. He knows every reef, sand bar, tide and current in their region. No pirate has successfully invaded Scuutari territory under his reign. Category:Cultures